and any actions we must take must begin inside the home and inside our hearts. but the fact that this problem is complex can no longer be an excuse for doing nothing. >> later in that same press conference, president obama offered a sharp response when he was asked why his administration has mostly stayed away from the subject of gun control until now. >> this is not the first issue -- the first incident of horrific gun violence of your four years. where have you been? >> well, here's where i've been, jake. i've been president of the united states, dealing with the worst economic crisis since the great depression. an auto industry on the verge of collapse, two wars. i don't think i've been on vacation. and so, you know, i think all of us have to do some reflection on how we prioritize what we do here in washington. this should be a wakeup call for all of us. to say that if we are not getting right the need to keep our children safe, then nothing else matters. and it's my commitment to make sure that we do everything we can to keep our children safe. a lot of thi